


Deep in the Shallows

by retrovertigo (ellameno)



Series: The Great Fire [7]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Asexual Character, Asexual Relationship, Banter, Battle Couple, Bonding, Detectives, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Gift Giving, Holidays, Kindred Spirits, Robot/Human Relationships, Slow Burn, Training, but not really, trying to make a video game fic feel like a video game is hard lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-23
Updated: 2017-02-23
Packaged: 2018-09-26 09:12:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9879263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellameno/pseuds/retrovertigo
Summary: Her first case was supposed to be as easy as perfectly preserved pie. It may be a bit harder to swallow.





	1. Part One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to finish and post this last week but my laptop bit the dust (RIP) so that got put on the back burner til I got back from a trip. Updates will probably be more next month.
> 
> This one's a tad different as there's an **epilogue as a second chapter**.

         At first there had been a dark corner of Nora’s mind that wouldn’t believe that Nick could be right. It seemed impossible that everything would become easier in a world that was now so primitive. Things were not normal, and they’d never be the same, but she was getting used to this new existence, these new routines, and life was starting to feel... comfortable.

         It all wasn’t completely foreign; she had been a Girl Scout in her youth and attributed it to the reason she didn’t up and die while alone in the wasteland. She knew how to camp, how to start a fire and how to cook efficiently. Remembered to boil water before drinking and stuff her sleeping bag with insulation. If she squinted her eyes and imagined that it was all just an extended camping trip, it almost became fun.

         Despite the charade, deep down she was still a pre-war woman who valued sumptuosity and had to find it where she could. Shower meditation was a thing of the past so a candlelit soak in the darkened bathroom would have to do for now.

         The basin was filled shallowly with lukewarm water heated over the stove. Though it smelled a bit rusty and wasn’t luxurious, it was by far the most pleasant way to bathe in winter. The weather outside was an agreeable mid-50’s -- but washing up in the chilly stream behind her house would be enough to make her blood freeze again.

         Curie had helped make shampoo fine-tuned to Nora’s hair type, extremely giddy at the prospect of doing chemistry again. They had settled on one made of olive oil soap and tea. It wasn’t the hygienic regimen Nora was used to, but at least it made her smell pleasant. She would have to do something nice for the sweet science bot but wasn’t quite sure what Curie would even want in return. Botany specimens? Perhaps soil samples?

         “Mum?” Codsworth asked from the bathroom doorway. Nora hummed lazily, her mind focused on listing potential thank you gifts. “I know you asked for no callers, but Mr Valentine is here-” She shot up and started rinsing the soap suds off her body. “-to see you-- _My word_ , mum, do be careful. There’s no rush: I told him you were indecent.”

         “TMI, Cods!” she scolded, blush creeping on her cheeks as she scrambled out of the basin.

         “How so?” he asked, handing her a faded towel from a nearby rack. “I did not divulge specifics.”

         “It’s just awkward having coworkers know when you’re naked.”

         He drooped slightly. “Ah, I see. Next time I shall tell him you’re simply indisposed.”

         “I guess that’s better,” she conceded, drying her hair with a hurried vigor.

         Ellie had radioed in the other night to say the detective would pick his new protege up for a job within the weekend. Nora hadn’t quite expected him so soon. Normally she would resent anyone who interrupted her "me-time". Nick was different: his mere presence lifted her.

         ---

         A haze of smoke hung on the sidewalk in front of her house as Nick paced back and forth, cigarette in hand. Nora watched him from the doorway for a moment, amused by his restless disposition and wondering if he would notice her presence. He did not until she jostled her pack loudly over her shoulder.

         "There she is!" Nick brightened as soon as he saw her, "You ready for your first who-dunnit?"

         She blinked. "Is it a murder?"

         "Well, no. It’s actually petty theft. But _someone_ had to dunnit."

         "Sounds a little open and shut."

         "It is, but I’m not gonna make your first case a grand caper. Gotta start slow. And the walk isn’t that bad this time."

         Dogmeat tromped over to them and jumped up on Nick with excitement, as if summoned by the ‘W-Word’.

         "Goodness, hey there. Miss me or something?" He scratched the Shepherd behind the ear. "Perhaps we could use Detective Dogmeat on this case. What say you, boy?"

         Dogmeat wagged his tail.

         "And you?" Nick eyed Nora.

         "Why not. I think he’s a little stir-crazy."

         "Not surprising. You were always a drifter, huh?” he said back to the dog. "Can’t relate."

         "No?"

         "No I hate change."

         She sighed. "Me too."

         "Well, chin up. No use both of us moping at once. We’ll take turns." He smirked.

         She squared her shoulders. "Honestly, I’ve been feeling pretty good."

         "Have you? Well, that’s the best news I’ve heard all week."

         She smiled, welcoming the familiar amiable warmth that seemed to follow Nick everywhere. Dogmeat gave an eager whine, asking for the pair’s attention.

         "What a team we are; Two old dogs and a lovely lady."

         "Oh please, you’re exaggerating." She batted her hand. "Dogmeat’s not that old."

         ---

         Their case took them away from the abandoned town of old and towards what was countryland back in Nora’s day. The serpentine route was clearly one less traveled, occasionally obstructed by invasive bramble and imposing oaks that had overtaken the road through the centuries. Dogmeat weaved in front of them anxiously, stopping every few paces, as if to make sure they were really taking him along. Soon his energy became slightly infectious.

         "God, I’m actually kind of nervous all of a sudden," Nora said, taking a quick breath of the crisp mid-winter air.

         "The thing is, the majority of cases don’t take much detective know-how. Just the willingness to do something about it. I wouldn’t advise a farmer trying to get their cattle back from a raider, but I sure could do it."

         She kicked a small piece of asphalt as she walked. "So safety in numbers is why you need a partner?"

         "Partially. A human by my side can make sure the initial pleasantries are more, well, _pleasant_. And I figured with your background you’d be perfect ‘cause, ah... people can be quite difficult. I’ve been burned before.”

         She glanced up at him, eyes squinting in the bright sun. "Hope you don’t mean literally."

         "Ha! All but. Some clients are rude as sin, and try to bargain over the price, which is often chump change to begin with."

         Dogmeat got preoccupied with a particularly interesting patch of shrubbery until Nick whistled for him to stay on task.

         "If they rip you off again I’ll gladly forgo my cut,” she offered.

         " _Oho!_ \-- Now who said you were getting a cut?"

         She blinked at him. "I-I mean I just--"

         "Jeez, I’m kidding,” he laughed. "You’re too charitable though, you’re making me look bad."

         "Well I don’t have rent to pay. Or an assistant,” she said quickly, eyes darting up to the clear blue sky.

         Their client’s home was nestled in an abandoned neighborhood built upon a hill. It was a sea of modest two-story cottages with chain link fences, all in various states of damage and decay. Nora was surprised that more were not occupied; it seemed like the perfect place to take up shelter.

         The house itself had a lock upon the gate and a strange collection of garden gnomes and flamingos decorating the dead lawn. It was unknown whether the ornaments were the possession of their client or a remnant of whoever lived there before.

         Nick hung back. He probably deemed it better for a human to do introductions than a synth.

         “Anyone home?” Nora called. “We’re the detectives you ordered.”

         A strange face appeared in the darkened doorway, seemingly lacking any defined features. As they stepped into the light, she realized it was a ghoul in a housedress.

         “You know how to keep a girl waiting, Valentine,” the ghoul rasped.

         “Julissa!” Nick said happily, approaching the fence. “Ellie didn’t tell me _you_ were my client.”

         “She didn’t? Oh that girl can be such a ditz,” she sighed, unlocking the gate, “How are you?”

         “Better now that I’ve seen you,” he replied.

         Nora smiled at the pair, bemused.

         “And this is your new partner I assume? She’s not wiggy around ghouls, is she?”

         “Oh _please_ ,” Nick dismissed before Nora could answer, “I picked her out cause she’s a _nice_ girl.”

         “Well your last partner was a piece of work. His name escapes me and to that I say good riddance.”

         “Yeah well, he ran off on me. Decided I needed someone with more moral upstanding. She’s a lawyer, y’know.”

         “A lawyer? My father was a lawyer and a crook.”

         “She’s the sort that loves children and animals if you catch my drift.”

         “Wherever are you practicing _law_ these days?” she asked Nora.

         Nick seemed extremely pleased with himself as he looked back and forth between Nora and Julissa. He waved a hand, imploring Nora to tell her tale.

         “Uh, well, funny story,” Nora said, starting to catch the hint, “I’m actually pre-war…”

         Julissa cackled, “Oh that’s cute Nicky, you trained her and everything.”

         “How do _you_ have a lawyer for a father?” Nora asked.

         “Sweetheart, _I’m_ pre-war,” she said grandly and then laughed again. “I was six years old when the goddamn world ended. Barely got to enjoy it.”

         She gestured for them to come up onto the veranda with her.

         “How come you’re living out here?” Nick asked, “Last time I heard from you were heading to Goodneighbor.”

         “Trashy town. Trashy people. I’m sick of cities, I prefer the sprawl,” she lamented. “But therein lies the problem; no walls or guards to look after things. Mama’s got new a rocket launcher from that batty caravan girl,” she said patting the giant weapon on the porch, “but one old woman only has two eyes, and they don’t see so good anymore.”

         “Old? In ghoul years you’re what, twenty-one?”

         She laughed. “Oh that’s the worst thing about living alone; No one charming.”

         Dogmeat started sniffing around the house.

         “Nicky, I thought you were a lone wolf; now you have a whole pack.”

         “That’s Dogmeat, he’s a freelancer.”

         “If I knew you were hiring young girls and animals maybe I would’ve put in a resume back in the day.”

         “I’m not _that_ young,” Nora said under her breath.

         Nick ruffled her hair as if he disagreed.

         Julissa lead them though her damaged home with its wallpaper cracked and peeling and its floorboards that buckled as they walked. The house was a silent witness of the old world’s glory. One that still stood sturdy, despite everything that had befallen it. Just like the pre-war ghoul herself; and Nick and Nora for that matter.

         “Well, here you go,” Julissa said as they stood in her back garden. “The scene of the crime.”

         “Good lord, talk about insult to injury,” Nick balked.

         Her ornaments were strewn about and vegetable garden trampled. Nora would have concluded a wild critter was to blame, if it not for the all sorts of nasty phrases and slurs covering the rear of the house in sloppy misspelled graffiti.

         “Yep. Little asshats do it all while I’m sleeping.” Julissa sighed. Nora smirked slightly at the ancient pejorative. “Lucky this time I heard the veranda creaking and caught them in the act.”

         “We’ll get you some paint for that,” Nick replied.

         “Here’s the only lead I got.” She handed Nick a torn piece of cloth. “Got stuck on the chain-link, after they climbed the fence. They put my crops in one of my old bags too. It’s just a potato rucksack, but y’know.”

         “This is good, _real_ good,” Nick said reassuringly, “We’ve got a genuine scent hound at our service.”

         “Oh, is that what he’s for? With the name I assumed you intended to eat him.”

         “I didn’t name him,” Nora said. She glanced at Nick who shrugged incredulously. The origin of the moniker would remain a mystery.

         ---

         Dogmeat set off like a flash, the trail apparently fresh in the grassy plains that topped the hill. They walked for a good mile or so, the dog snaking around the blackened trees that sporadically stood among the wasteland. There they found an abandoned camp. Dogmeat’s interest seemed to indicate the culprit’s scent in the ruins but before Nick could properly sift for clues the ‘hound’ was on the hunt again.

         Gradually the grasslands turned into the remnants of a dead orchard, many trees broken in half or downed completely. The trio hopped the short wooden fence. There was smoke on the wind, which meant people, either friend or foe. Dogmeat’s ears flattened against his head, he hunched down, and Nora’s adrenaline began to kick in.

         “Stay here, boy,” she whispered to the Shepherd. His ears perked up and he panted nervously, but he laid down obediently.

         As they slowly moved forward they heard voices, and then saw movement. Three or so figures sat around a campfire near a short rock wall, all clad in leather armor haphazardly cobbled together out of scaps. Nora couldn’t quite tell but their faces appeared painted. _Raiders?_ She looked to Nick for guidance. He gestured for her to draw her weapon, and that they’d both approach at once.

         “Alright, everybody freeze,” Nick ordered with the cool authority of a veteran cop. “Don’t do anything stupid, no one gets hurt.”

         They all leapt to their feet like animals, defying his order. The tallest of them threw a bottle in their direction; it broke in large pieces against the ground.

         “I said nothing stupid, jackass,” Nick said much firmer, brandishing his gun farther in front of him. “This is your last--”

         “You don’t tell me what to do, synth!” the raider shouted.

         “It’s a synth?” Their friend, a shorter thug sporting a hunter’s face paint, strained their eyes. “Oh god _it’s a synth_!”

         “We just have some questions,” Nora said diplomatically. “Like whether you’re the ones stealing food and vandalizing homes.”

         “What’s it to you?” the third one asked. She was a girl with crimson hair and seemed the somewhat more talkative of the bunch. “Did the zombie send you?”

         “Are you Institute?” the short one stammered out.

         “What’s it to you?” Nick parroted unexpectedly.

         “No one tells us what to do, not zombies, not chrome-domes and not old sows!” the lanky one yelled, darting for a rifle.

         Nick fired two warning shots into the dirt near the gun but the raider persisted fearlessly. The rest of his gang followed suit and Nick shouted for his partner to take cover.

         They each dove behind two trees. Nick found himself about eight feet away from the fray, flattened against a thick trunk. Nora herself knelt behind a bole split in half by lightning decades ago. The bullets zipped past her and rattled the trunk in a rain of deafening fire. From the corner of her eyes she could see Nick glancing at her with worry as if he feared one would penetrate the thick bark and strike her. Protectively he fired his weapon at the raiders, which occasionally made the bulletstorm stop, but as far as she could tell none had yet to strike one down.

         During a lull in attacks she peeked over the split in her tree. The raiders had scurried over the rock wall, a perfectly impervious shelter. From there they proceeded to deftly fire over it at Nick, who was crouching for steadier aim. Nora took their lead and used her own cover as a sniping point. She took her rifle and waited for a gun to appear over the rock.

         She sensed movement in her periphery again. One of the raiders was crawling along the edge of the wall, apparently hoping to catch Nick off guard.

         “Nick!” she shouted. His gaze snapped to her but the words got stuck in her mouth. The figure rose over the wall high enough for her to take a shot. Nora grabbed her rifle and fired two bullets. The third trigger pull clicked; she was frantically digging her pockets for more ammo when a pitiful scream froze her on the spot.

         "My finger! Oh my God! _Oh my God!_ She shot my finger off!"

         It was the voice of the long haired raider who had taunted them.

          _"What?"_ the girl yelled.

         "She shot off my trigger finger, _oh my God!_ ” their voice cracked under the searing pain.

         Nora let out a short laugh and then covered her mouth, astounded by her perfectly honed shot. Nick looked at her, visibly baffled. He might be wondering whether it was skill or a mere coincidence; explanations would have to wait.

         "She’s a sniper! That old sow sniped me!"

         Nick peered around the tree in the direction of the wailing raider and got on his feet. Nora finished reloading but did not let him escape her gaze, waiting for any sign from him that would let her know whatever happened next.

         "You done or you wanna lose somethin’ worse?” he shouted.

         “What do you want from us?”

         “Stop harassing people!” Nick answered. “They’re mindin’ their own business, now mind your own too!”

         “Or what?” the girl asked again.

         Nora impulsively fired her gun in the air.

         “I’m done, I’m done, no more,” the maimed thug creaked. “Stim me, someone! Oh God I’m gonna pass out!”

         She felt a swell of confidence fill her. “So we have an understanding?”

         “Yeah, shit-- just leave us alone.”

         “Go help your friend and then get out of here,” Nora yelled.

         Nick whistled for the dog who bounded in with concerned sounds. He jumped up on Nora and started licking her face. Nora beamed and giggled, tickled by her own skill and by the zealous pup.

         “Now boy, I know she’s a doll but be professional,” Nick said, before turning back to the raiders with his weapon drawn again. Nora heard the clattering of guns sliding against backs, and as she peered back over she saw the shortest one rushing towards their injured friend. “Leave everything you’ve stolen here. And I mean _everything_. The Institute is always watching,” he glowered.

         The girl glared like a child who had her toys taken away. The whimpering raider was escorted back to the camp where the trio huddled, cursing and muttering nervously as they wrapped up their comrade’s hand. As they collected their gear he woozily looked back at Nora with almost a pout, then jumped back over the wall.

         Once the group was at a distance the detectives slowly moved into the campsite, guns drawn just in case. Nick stood watch as the raiders continued sulking away. He made quite the striking figure, posturing threateningly as they looked back.

         Nora took a knee and began rummaging through the raiders’ spoils. It was a large assortment of supplies likely all stolen in a similar fashion. Dogmeat sniffed around beside her and pulled out an old potato sack, which could only be Julissa’s. Unfortunately good amounts of the crop the client had reported stolen had already been eaten.

         Nick turned to Nora once the group had vanished on the horizon. “Sometimes it’s useful to be a big scary synth.” He smirked. “That said, I wouldn’t mess with you either. _Wow._ ”

         “He called me an old sow.” She wrinkled her nose.

         “Guess he’ll think twice now before cursin’ out pre-war ladies.”

         ---

         Julissa clapped her hands gleefully when Nick handed her the rucksack.

         “Sorry it’s been gnawed on, but hey there’s some canned goods they left behind.”

         “I think their raiding days are over,” Nora said proudly.

         Julissa’s smile did not falter. “That’s all I need to hear. I don’t have much to pay you with, but why don’t you stay the night?” She gestured over her shoulder. “I think your dog already chose for you.”

         Dogmeat had curled up under her kitchen table. He looked like he had fallen asleep waiting for food to drop.

         “I’ll break open a bottle for us.” She grinned.

         “Oh, are you sure?”

         “Please. I don’t have company often and I hate drinking alone. And now those kids won’t be bothering me anymore. Let’s celebrate.”

         ---

         Nora was slightly embarrassed at how easily she and Julissa polished off the bottle. Well, Julissa did drink most of it; Nora was becoming more and more cautious of her tolerance and didn’t want to make a fool of herself in a stranger’s home. She was enthralled as the two spoke about the ‘old days’ in Diamond City, and how much things had changed in the post-apocalyptic world since then. Julissa rambled on about heroic deeds Nick had done, and whenever Nora beamed at him he sheepishly begged the ghoul to stop exaggerating.

         Julissa could barely walk by the end of the evening, Nick laughing as he helped her over to her couch. She was too jelly-legged to climb the stairs to her bedroom and offered it up to the detectives instead. Nick might have been afraid Nora would feel dizzy as well, for he couldn’t help but offer his arm for her to lean on while climbing the stairs. After fondly saying goodnight he picked an armchair in the corner of the room and settled in with a smoke.

         As Nora laid in the bed, she felt both boozed up and restless. Something about today made her feel powerful. Never in her life had she been seen as an intimidating figure, spending her youth either bullied by peers or controlled by family.

         Her late husband had taken her to the gun range on occasion, wanting to assure that if the world went to hell his wife could protect herself and their child. She wished his fears hadn’t come to pass the way they did. Nora recalled how the common patrons of the range gave her dismissive glances as she fumbled while reloading, and even laughed when she jumped at the loud noises. If they could see her now, boy she’d show them a thing. Bet they never shot someone’s trigger finger off.

         She could see the glow from Nick’s eyes and his cigarette ember in the corner, again staring straight ahead as if transfixed by something playing out before him.

         “How come you--”

         “Oh, jeez.” Nick chuckled, “You startled me, kiddo.”

         “I did?”

         “Yeah. I didn’t know you were still awake.”

         “Sorry,” she said sheepishly.

         “It’s alright. I was... somewhere else. What were you saying?”

         “Oh, just wondering why you and Julissa don’t talk about the _old_ old world. You said before me… you didn’t really have anyone to talk to.”

         “Ah, she was too young to remember it like I do. Like _we_ do. You and I, we’re old enough to be her parents, y’know?”

         She gave a short giggle, amused by the sudden image of her and Nick rearing a ghoul child together.

         “Besides, the old ghouls have been here two-hundred years. We woke up out of our own time. Memory it… fades.”

         Nora took this as one of Nick’s cautionary wisdoms. So much of her youth was a blur, how long before her pre-war days would be just as fuzzy? She had to make an effort to remember her favorite things: the sound of her grandmother’s wind chimes, farmer’s markets bursting with bouquets of spring flowers, the excited buzz as people settled into a theater, the quiet corner of a coffee shop on a rainy day…

         Wrapping herself in these old memories like a quilt made her sleepy and not mournful like they once had. The prospect of forming new ones made her eager to keep on going, an attempt to carve her life into two different eras, focusing on what she may gain rather than everything she had lost.

         “I had fun today,” she mused softly.

         Nick laughed gently, “Yeah, I could tell.”

         “Could you?”

         “You get this adorable bounce in you when you’re keen on something.”

         She smiled and pulled the blankets up to her chin.

         ---

         “So there’s this place up North called Sanctuary Hills, where anyone is welcome,” Nick said, as Julissa walked them to the gate on the next morning. “Secure wall, fresh stream water…”

         “I’m good in the wastes, Nick. I need change, can’t stand stagnation. Been actually thinking about heading out to _greener_ pastures, if you get me. Where humans won’t dare tread and I can live in sweet solitude.”

         “If that’s what you want, Jule, you chase your happiness. Send me a postcard and maybe I’ll come bring you a housewarming gift.”

         “Maybe I’ll visit your ‘Sanctuary’ at some point. Nothin’ compares to Diamond City, though.”

         “I’m sure you’ll see it again someday. Mayors aren’t monarchs, his reign will be up before you know it. Besides, you have all the time in the world,” Nick said gently. “Good things come into our lives in the most unexpected ways.” He looked at Nora who nodded with a smile.

         They bid the ghoul goodbye and set back off for home, Nora satisfied by a first case closed.

         ---

         The previous night of drinking had left Nora a bit parched and clumsy footed. The trio stopped to rest beside a bridge, allowing she and her canine companion to rehydrate. The surrounding foundation was slowly eroding away, leaving the concrete road exposed like an upended tree. There they were shielded from the gusts that had begun pounding in their direction. Nora watched as Dogmeat instinctively drank from the river. She didn’t dare ingest water straight from the source, but as far as she knew the pup was immune to such things as trace radiation.

         As he returned to her he kept sniffing the air. She sniffed too out of curiosity, but only found earthy wafts on the wind. Something was blooming. She was smacked with nostalgia as she had a brief flash of watering her grandmother’s many windowsill plants.

         “I was thinking of doing more foraging,” Nora mused, “I was a scout so I know what’s edible and what herbs look like.”

         “If you grab the roots too maybe you can plant an herb garden,” Nick offered.

         “That’s a great idea.” She smiled. A windowsill garden. Yes. That would be the perfect thing to nurture. Codsworth could water them while she was--

         Something pulled her down to the ground and she thought for a second the hill was collapsing under her.

         It was _Nick_. He held her close and she didn’t understand and---

         "Don’t speak, don’t move,” he whispered quickly.

         She realized his gun was drawn at the ready and that she was holding her breath. It clicked in her mind. _Danger._ And not the kind Nick calculated they could handle.

         Heavy footsteps neared, many pairs, possibly one of which was four legged. Grumbled voices, gruff and gurgling.

         The odor of something rotten, like meat and blood, overcame her and she buried her face in Nick’s coat to fight it off. His acrid scent brought her immediate relief.

         He gently cupped the back of her head, as if urging her to stay calm. Her heart beat echoed in her head, her rib cage, her limbs. She tried to take slow, deep, silent breaths.

         She had no inkling as to who or _what_ was passing above them but Nick’s reaction was the only sign she needed to understand the direness of their situation.

         Even Dogmeat got the hint, flattened to the ground, noiseless.

         Nervousness made her head swim. If for a moment, she no longer felt like the confident, cocky woman who had sniped a raider from behind a tree. She felt small and out of her league, screwing her eyes shut and hoping if she blinked hard enough she could wake up from this bad dream.

         The sounds faded away and so did the pulsing in her ears. Nick stroked her shoulder reassuringly before removing his arm from her back. He carefully peeked over the ridge.

         “What was that?” she whispered.

         “Super Mutants,” Nick replied gravely. “Good lord, they had a hound too. How did it not sniff us out?”

         “We were down wind, I guess,” she said, patting Dogmeat who had crawled to her looking for comfort.

         “Jeez, well, lucky us.” Nick looked at her, seemingly unnerved. “Let’s get out of here before they turn back.”

         She nodded and followed him cautiously.

         They headed down the riverbank in pensive silence until they found an elevated spot where they could survey their surroundings for miles. Nora downed the rest of her canteen, her mouth paper dry again.

         "Am I in over my head?” she asked.

         "Yeah," Nick said, unexpectedly. He turned to her with a small smile. "But we all are, kiddo."

         "Even you?"

         "Especially me,” he chuckled.

         “Maybe I wasn’t ready to come back from ‘vacation’,” she said, half joking. Trying to have fun in the wasteland was an effective coping mechanism but it also made her unprepared for how hostile things were. “Maybe I wasn’t ready to go out in the field with you.”

         “I don’t think anything can make you _ready_ for this. Even if you’ve lived out here your whole life.”

         She looked at her feet and sighed, not quite sure how to take that bit of information.

         "I know what might make you feel better," Nick said.

         "What’s that?"

         He pointed to a strip mall in the distance. "Some retail therapy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Continued in the 2nd chapter** (Some people missed it!)


	2. Epilogue

         "Oh, this is nice. This too." She perused the well stocked shelves eagerly like a teen on a shopping spree.

         Most of the shop had been looted over the years but Nick and his hacking skills gained them access to a storeroom.

         "There's nicer things in here. There's some crystal glasses--"

         "Look, it's so shiny though," she said, holding up the chrome cup.

         "You don't want that," Nick scoffed. "It's gonna be cold and... unpleasant to touch."

         "If you were paying any attention to me at all you'd know what I like." She wrinkled her nose at him.

         "What's that?"

         "I'm very into metal," she said, keeping her eyes on him but trying to keep a smile from squirming out.

         Nick winked, and it triggered her giggles.

         "How quickly I forget what a strange gal you are. If you wanna freeze your darling little hands off I suppose that's your prerogative."

         "Aw, you think my hands are darling?" she asked.

         He smiled but said nothing.

         He continued to trail behind her, either fearing she’d set off some kind of trap or that she’d pick too many things that he’d be forced to carry.

         "I'm gonna see if I can find some undergarments," she said.

         "Oh-- yeah, alright," Nick said, stiffening slightly, "You go. I'll just, uh, be here."

         Nora smirked as she set off and Nick stayed fidgeting with something on the self. The ruse had worked.

         ---

         She held out the parcel wrapped in a brand new dinner napkin.

         "Oh, c'mon. Did you just get this now?" he asked.

         "Mhmm," she replied cheekily. "It's your gift, like I promised."

         "How sneaky. And awfully apt, I suppose." He laughed and undid the cloth.

         "I thought a lot about it."

         "Crosswords… huh."

         "So you don't think too much at night."

         "Ah. What an appropriate gift for an antique like me." She couldn't quite read his reaction as he tucked the book away. “Service is terrible here, isn't it?" He pointed to the abandoned registers. “Guess we’ll use the self checkout."

         ----

         On the final stretch home a waft of something both foreign and appetizing overcame her. Off the side of the road near a large pond she spied leaves amongst modest yellow flowers that could be used for cooking.

         She sat down on a knoll and began picking herbs. Nick slowed ambled towards the waterside. He had been quieter, almost pensive ever since they left the shopping mall. Her present to him couldn’t have been _that much_ of a disaster, could it? Maybe it had triggered a memory; Nick was prone to sudden flashes of forgotten moments from his past life.

         He picked up some stones and sifted through them thoughtfully. Nora turned on her Pip Boy; perhaps some music would make him feel better.

         The date caught her eye.

         Oh. _Oh no._

         How had it slipped her mind so easily?

         There was suddenly an elephant in the room that she had been oblivious to for the past few hours. Had Nick taken her gift as some kind of Valentine’s day present? It was slightly belated, so the timing wasn’t too cosmic, but she felt foolish for the significance of everything being lost on her. If Nick didn’t tell her, maybe he preferred it to pass without notice. Or maybe he was disappointed she didn’t make more of a joke about it. There were too many possibilities.

         “Nick?" she called gently, not sure how to approach the subject or what exactly was running through that mind of his. “Are you alright?"

         He was quiet for a moment, and all Nora heard was the soft hiss of grass in the wind.

         "Valentine's is... kinda of a hard holiday for me. For a few reasons." He threw a stone across the pond and it skipped effortlessly. "I don't really wanna talk about it." He twisted another rock around in his fingers, then turned to her suddenly. "Bet it's not the easiest time for you now either, is it?"

         She gave a shrug. The concept had been buzzing around so annoyingly for the past few weeks, a reminder that Nate was gone and there’d be no romantic surprise waiting for her at home. But then she got swept up in Nick and their case... time and dates ceased being and instead everything was just _him_.

         "Sorry, sometimes I can get wrapped up in my own problems." He threw the next stone and it only skipped once. His shoulders slouched and he walked back to her with downcast eyes.

         "You burrow yourself in others' problems for a living. It's OK."

         "Not at your expense, it's not," he said sitting down near her, "You've been such a peach."'

         "I don't mind."

         "I do. I'd hate to take advantage of you."

         "You can take advantage of me." She laughed. "I mean-- _you_ know." She busied herself again.

         Nick began harvesting herbs along with her. "One of these days I'm gonna really tick you off, and then you'll regret it."

         "What could you possibly do?"

         "Ah I'll think of something." He held out the collection of plants.

         "I doubt it. You're great," she replied, grabbing onto it.

         His grip stayed firm and she locked eyes with him.

         "I can be bossy and particular," he said.

         "Well I can be childish and stubborn and not take things seriously," she parried like it was a contest.

         Nick stared for a moment before giving a small smile and letting go of the bushel. His gaze flickered towards his feet. "You're really gonna stand your ground on this one, huh?"

         "You can't scare me away from being your friend. People at their best rarely come close to you." She sucked in her cheeks, wondering where this sudden burst of honesty had come from.

         "Thanks for being a sweetheart on a day we're missing ours," he said.

         He kissed her hand. It was cold against her skin, and yet she could feel a ripple of warmth through her.

         "Thanks for being my _unlikely Valentine_ ," she said smugly, quite pleased with herself.

         He gave a short laugh. "Yeah. Well. Sorry I don't have any chocolates for ya," he said sarcastically.

         "You're sweet enough," she teased, and then cackled once he rolled his eyes at her.

         "Jeez, now you're gonna give me a toothache," he groaned.

         "Don't test me, I can go all night."

         "Well if you break out any more puns I'm running for the hills-- and you'll have to carry all your spoils on your own."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't remember if I said this last time, (but if I did I lied and now I'm telling the truth), next installment will be the stuff I started writing waaaaay back in May when this series was going to be much shorter than it became, so I'm very excited for that.
> 
> Any and all feedback means the world to me, and thanks again to everyone who has left comments in the past.
> 
> And special huge thanks to [seaweedredandbrown](http://archiveofourown.org/users/seaweedredandbrown/pseuds/seaweedredandbrown) and [Coldharbour](http://archiveofourown.org/users/coldharbour) for beta-reading while I rushed to finish this <3333


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